UPDATE: All Eyes on Watson

And it is so. From the ProJo:

The 10-member House Republican bloc has voted to replace Robert A. Watson as House minority leader, a week-and-a-half after his arrest in Connecticut on driving-under-the-influence and marijuana possession charges.

After a closed-door meeting, the GOP caucus announced its choice of Republican Rep. Brian C. Newberry, of North Smithfield, the current minority whip, to replace Watson as the leading opposition voice on the floor of the overwhelmingly Democrat-controlled House. The vote was 6 to 2.

A week ago, the small GOP caucus gave Watson, an East Greenwich Republican, a vote of confidence in his leadership after he explained to them the circumstances surrounding his arrest at a police sobriety checkpoint in East Haven, Conn., and the medical reasons behind his taking a "small amount'' of marijuana with him when he went to Connecticut that day to help a friend move.

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As Scott MacKay over at WRNI noted yesterday, the House Republican caucus is scheduled to meet this afternoon and Minority Leader Bob Watson's future is very much at issue.

Watson's arrest on DUI and marijuana possession charges in Connecticut have put him in a tenuous position and it's unclear if he'll hold onto his leadership position. The latest talk on Smith Hill has State Representative Brian Newberry, the minority whip, possibly replacing Watson as minority leader. We'll see what happens.

Calls to both men this morning were not returned.